


Closer Than They Appear

by GreenPhoenix3



Category: Bumblebee Movie - Fandom, Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Other, Transformers Spark Bonds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2019-11-07 03:08:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17952503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenPhoenix3/pseuds/GreenPhoenix3
Summary: What happens when you are electrocuted from touching an alien robot that spent his childhood in war? Well, Charlie Watson is about to find out. The real question is, is she ready? Is Bumblebee?Note: First chapter is before their goodbye, and the second chapter is like 11 months out. Also, not beta-read. Sorry if there's mistakes.





	1. The Touch

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Bumblebee or the Transformers characters.

As they drove away from Burns, silence filled the air and while it was comfortable, her soaked clothes weren’t. Thankfully, Bumblebee put on his heaters and he was driving, but she still couldn’t help but squirm. The radio crackled.

_ Are you okay, Annie?  _ Charlie couldn’t help but chuckle. She could imagine Bee dancing to Michael Jackson.

“I’m okay, Bee. Just a little wet.” There was despondent buzz and guilt pricked Charlie’s heart. “I’ll be fine, Bee. I just wished I could get dry faster. If I get sick,” Charlie groaned and closed her eyes. She could practically hear her mother’s lecture ringing in her ears. The dread coursing through her made her miss the way Bumblebee adjusted to go off road. She didn’t open her eyes till Bumblebee jumped a bit going over a rocky patch of land. “Bee?” While she trusted Bee, being out in the woods in the middle of the night still set off alarms. There was a quiet buzz similar to a purr, and instantly Charlie’s fear disappeared. She laid against him watching the foliage pass. Her eyes started to feel heavy. 

_ Chin up Charlie.  _ Charlie blinked her eyes open to see that Bumblebee had stop deep within the forest. She would’ve sworn that it was the same place she accidentally played the message in his chest. The door opened and Charlie reluctantly got out. She let out a shiver as the cold night air hit her soaking body. 

“Okay Bee, I’m all for you stretching your legs,” She heard him transform and turned to face him.”But out here?” Her words dropped off as she watched Bumblebee fiddle his fingers. He was looking to the side, and she could almost picture him biting his lip if he had one. Instead, his eyes dimmed a bit and his antennas were pushed back. “Bee?” She began to rub her arms, but her call came out softly. He looked to her. More like he was staring at her, debating something . Slowly, Bumblebee laid down, careful of her and the foliage around them. “Is something broken?” He shook his head as his chest started moving. Soon a bright light shined from his chest. Entranced by the soft light, Charlie didn’t see Bumblebee’s hand that picked her up. “Whoa!” Charlie let out a gasp as he settled her on top of his chest. Just a few feet away was the bright, essence. That was the word that came to her mind as she watched it swirl and pulse inside his chest behind a glass wall. A warmth emitted from it, beckoning her to the light.

_ Lay your hands on me. _ Bon Jovi played through Bee’s radio confidently, but when she glanced at him, there was a fear in his eyes that made her hesitate.

“What is it, Bee?” He looked away from her and his antennas fidgeted. 

_ Shot to the heart! _ Played softly through his radio. Charlie felt another shiver run up her spine, but not from the air. Bumblebee was trusting her with his heart. He was letting her close to the most vulnerable part of him. 

“Bee, I,” Charlie started to crawl back, but warm metal stopped her from going any further. She looked up to his face. He let out a light whir and nodded to her. Slowly, Charlie crawled to the opening. Again, the essence, Bumblebee, beckoned her to the light. She touched the glass. The warmth and life vibrated within her and she leaned in. “Bee.” Charlie whispered as she closed her eyes to let the vibration and warmth course through. It was gentle yet lively, young yet ancient, it was him, her Bumblebee. Her admiration swelled and it bloomed into something right there. She loved him. God, she loved him. She didn’t feel the tear that fell from her eye and dropped onto the glass. There was a quick whirring sound and a low chirp from Bumblebee, then the glass opened. Charlie couldn’t stop herself from falling in, and she touched the light. Starlight surrounded her. It should’ve blinded her, instead it felt like she was being held. She was safe inside this light. “Bumblebee.” Charlie gasped in awe. The light wanted to reach inside of her, and she let it. She showed it how scared she was of losing Bee and her dad, her anger at herself, her inability to just let things happen. How she fought and pushed everything around her away, but Bumblebee. That helping him, saved her.

“Charlie.” A voice said her name with such care and reverence that she leaned back into it. Instead, she found herself in the forest. She was on top of the glass of covering Bumblebee’s heart, while one of his hands covered her. The whirring of his vents and the pulsing of the light beneath the glass surrounded her. She glanced up to see Bumblebee’s eyes were closed and there was a such a peace to him that Charlie wondered if it was all a dream. Granted her dried clothes hinted that the experience with the light was real. Either way, she was tired. She let the sounds of Bumblebee and his warmth lull her to sleep. She didn’t see the way the light reached for her behind the glass.


	2. The Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is wrong with Bee, but he's a young adult and sometimes, we just like to ignore our problems till they go away.
> 
> Also please see this piece: http://youkaiyume.tumblr.com/post/182451022273/touch-starved-hello-yes-i-have-robot-feels  
> It's a wonderful work of art that needs to be seen by the world!
> 
> I don't own the Bumblebee movies or Transformers Characters.

Honestly, Bumblebee really shouldn’t have been so surprised when he woke up in the makeshift med-bay on the base. While the blow he suffered from Shadowstrike’s blaster was bad, it shouldn’t have forced him into recharge. But it did because he might not have recharged for a deca-cycle (ten earth days). He always had problems recharging. His active sensory systems made it hard for him to recharge, they were always picking something up or were just active. But lately, they were haywire. Nothing felt right to his touch sensory and a warning about an unfinished connect kept popping up on his HUD. He tried working through it. He would help Optimus find the others, go scouting for anything, help Optimus establish a base with the humans (granted that was mainly Burns and Optimus, Bumblebee was still a fugitive), teach the others about Earth, fight Decepticon seekers. Bumblebee dived into any work he could, just to feel normal and ignore how wrong he felt. He even helped Ratchet out in the med-bay (only on really bad days). He just couldn’t stop. 

If he did, he would remember Charlie and an ache filled him that even made it hard to move his antennas. When he recharged, somehow his data tracks would be of her and her life. Her life of peace, love, and just a safety that Bumblebee wished he could be apart of. He wished he was the one to hold her after her dad’s funeral, or he was the one her dad drove to take her to a dive competition. Then he would imagine how taking her to college would be like. Watching as she laughed with friends, watching her take care of cars, just being with her. Even if he was in his alt-mode. Which was saying a lot because he hated being cooped up in alt mode unless he was racing (but even then he usually found a way to break out of alt-mode for a bit). So to stop that, he stopped recharging. At the time, it seemed like a logical solution.

“You fragging glitch!” Ratchet’s yell was the only warning Bumblebee had to duck out of the way of a flying wrench. When it landed into the wall behind him, terror filled him. 

“Ratchet.” Optimus voice was calm, but somehow having him there didn’t make Bumblebee relax. If he woke up to Ratchet that was one thing. But Optimus being there meant that he was there to hold Ratchet back. Bumblebee faced them, and was surprised to see Windblade and Jazz too. Granted, they were glaring at him too. Ratchet was fuming, and the only thing keeping him back was Optimus’ servo on his shoulder strut.

_ Where’s the party?  _ Bumblebee played quietly. The anger from their EM’s grew. Even Optimus’ frown deepened. Ratchet let out a heavy exhale, and Bumblebee swore his optics caught black smoke.

“Bumblebee.” Bumblebee stiffened at Ratchet’s sweet voice. He heard that voice when Wheeljack blew his arm off for the third time. Wheeljack had been magenitized to his berth for half a deca-cycle. Ratchet stomped towards Bumblebee. “Mind reading this for me.” Bumblebee jumped back at the medical scans that Ratchet protruded from his arm strut. Bumblebee scanned them quickly, already knowing what they would say. His recharge trackings were declining leading to a fall of his operating systems and his processor speed was in the red. Which meant that it was overworking to keep his other systems balanced. Bumblebee winced at the sight. 

_ I ran all night and day. _ The scans disappeared and replaced by Ratchet’s face.

“For a deca-cycle!” Ratchet’s yell was accompanied by a hit to the backside of Bumblebee’s helm. The hit was expected, but the pain that shocked through him was not. He shook a bit as he curled into himself as his mask came down. He let out a staticky buzz of a moan as his sensory systems burned with pain. 

“Ratchet,” Optimus’ voice grounded Bumblebee. With an exhale, Bumblebee looked up. Instead of anger, worry was the main reading he was getting from everyone, including Ratchet.

“Bumblebee,” Ratchet’s voice was soft and that scared Bumblebee more than the mock sweetness.  “Why aren’t you recharging?” Bumblebee stilled. The only mech he told about Charlie was Optimus, but that was a debrief. He only told him that she was brave, smart, strong, guarded but kind, and was the help he needed to defeat Agents Shatter and Dropkick. He didn’t tell Optimus that he missed her, that he sent her songs through the radio, or that sometimes he thought about leaving the whole Cybertronian war just to be by her side (he would never abandoned his friends and comrades, but that didn’t stop the thoughts). “Bumblebee.” Ratchet pushed and Bumblebee looked away.

_ I can’t forget her or the lesson I learned.  _ Bumblebee played as he started fiddling with his digits. His fiddling became wearing and scratching as the silence grew. The hint of astonishment and surprise made him look up. Jazz and Optimus were staring at him, concern in their eyes. Windblade looked pained, and Ratchet kept gaping at him. Bumblebee let out a chirp and tilted his head in confusion. 

“Did you interface with a human?” Bumblebee nearly fell off the berth he was on at Ratchet’s question. An odd buzz left his vocalizer. He shook his head and his arms in a resounding no. Buzzes and whirs came out because he couldn’t find a song that said how insane and problematic that would be. 

“Youngin,” Jazz’s southern drawl made Bumblebee freeze. “Tell me what interfacin’ is.” He ordered.

_ It takes two to make a thing go right! You’re giving me a heart attack, heart attack. Do you wanna touch? _ Bumblebee focused on getting the right songs to explain it, but he couldn’t look at any of the mechs. Because if he was honest, he didn’t really know what interfacing was. He heard other soldiers talk about it, heard the dirty little whispers, but he didn’t know how it happened. He didn’t know how to do it. He just knew that it was something intimate done between two mechs. 

“I think that translates that he knows what it is, so it can’t be that.” Ratchet faced Optimus and Jazz. Bumblebee looked up to see the others grouped together not facing him.

“But that doesn’t explain the rogue data tracks in his processor.” Now Bumblebee was utterly confused. He asked Windblade to look into his processor to see if the connection was some virus in his processor. She said he was fine, but now there was something wrong. He didn’t even calculate any rogue data tracks.

“And doc, he’s a youngling. Do you think he knows how to interface?” Bumblebee chirped in annoyance at Jazz. While it was the truth, he was right there. Ratchet just threw his servos in the air.

“Because he’s a youngling he must’ve known at least the basics of interfacing. Every mech is taught about that during their formative stage.” Ratchet argued. Bumblebee waved a servo in their direction. He was ignored.

“He’s younger than me Ratchet.” Windblade pointed out. Again, Bumblebee huffed. “His formative stage would’ve been during the height of the war.” Bumblebee did nod to that. He gained his courier upgrades in his formative stage. It was more durable and allowed him to carry messages in his processor for longer periods of time. Maybe that’s why the subject of interfacing was uncomfortable too. He never had time for it. The war was happening. He had orders to fulfill and a home to save. Plus, he seen to many friends die to even think about knowing someone that intimately. In fact, he tried staying away from that depth of connection. 

Charlie popped up into his processor and an image of her hands outstretched to him in an attempt to gain his trust. The first time he saw her. He leaned into the touch, feeling the soft touch with a soft pound underneath them. But it was only a hologram. He went through it, and he couldn’t help the low buzz that came out of his mouth.

“Bumblebee,” Optimus broke Bumblebee’s trance and he looked to his leader. There was a sort of understanding and fear in his and Jazz’s EM. Bumblebee knew he was missing something, but he couldn’t figure out what. “Now, while I know this is not usually done, but with your lack of a voice we must rely on Windblade to show us everything that happened.” Bumblebee nodded slowly. He figured that this had to happen sooner or later. His lack of a voice had created a strain with him and the other mechs. He could only speak using Earth’s culture which was vastly different than Cybertronian culture. It made things such as debriefs and mission reports hard too. Usually he had to write those out, still it was not like telling something where it was easier to gain the truth. 

“I promise, I will only look at your arrival on Earth, and you will be conscious enough of me to watch me.” Windblade promised. Bumblebee nodded, but that still didn’t help him with the invasive feeling. Windblade put her end of the wire on first. She handed him his, and with a big exhale, something he picked up from Charlie’s dive recordings, he plugged himself in.

It was like reliving the memories all over, but with someone beside him. He quickly played certain things, specifically his run in with Blitzwing. But the moment he saw Charlie in the garage for the first time, he might have let that one play on longer than it was. He had no memory core then, but he couldn’t help but laugh at his fear of her. He trusted her with his spark, so to fear that she would hurt him, it was unfathomable. He showed them bits of his time with her, he skipped the part about destroying a human’s car. That was totally on accident (not really, even with no memory, he knew he destroyed that girl’s car and was happy about that). He played his not so good second meeting with the humans, and getting captured by Dropkick and Shatter. If he skipped their torture, no one knew. He made sure to show that Charlie again was the first thing that came to him when he onlined the second time. That when his memory core was restored, his mission changed to get rid of any threats to her. She was his priority. It took her to bring him back. He quickly played the last battle, but slowed it to show that Charlie was a big asset to his victory. Then it came to him trying to warm her up. He knew what he was thinking was dangerous, nothing had been so close to his spark before, but that need to protect her overrode his fear. He let her near it, he let her touch it. And in return he felt her strength, her determination. Her guards dropped too. Then he received the message from Optimus of his arrival, and they said goodbye.

It took a moment for Bumblebee to refocus when he came out of the patch. When he did, he was met with EMs full of awe and shock. Even Optimus was gaping a bit.

“I did not, I would never think,” Ratchet gaped speechlessly.

“Trust me, Ratchet.” Windblade spoke quietly. Bumblebee looked to see admiration in her eyes, “It’s true, down to his spark.” Bumblebee let out a whir of annoyance.

“Younglin,” Bumblebee noted the odd softness Jazz’s voice got. His voice got like that whenever he was remembering Prowl. “You spark bonded with the human.” Bumblebee straightened at that. He’s heard of spark bonding once or twice. Honestly though, he had no idea what that was or why it was so special.

“Bumblebee,” Optimus stepped forward and put a servo on Bumblebee’s shoulder strut. “ I believe that when Charlie touched you as you were being, restrained by the humans soldiers, she received a bit of your spark. That was how she was able to revive you with something as primitive as Earth technology. So when the opportunity presented itself, your spark craved to be whole again. Yet, when it was whole, it left some with her. Thus, creating a bond with the human similar to that of a spark bond, the stage that finalizes a conjux endura’s standing.” Optimus explained, but that didn’t answer Bumblebee’s top question.

_ Will/ it/ hurt/ her? _ Bumblebee pieced together. Optimus looked away and frowned.

“I cannot say. A spark bond happens when there is two sparks to connect. She is an organic and thus, the first to experience such a bond.” Well that didn’t relive Bumblebee.

_ Can/ I/ get/ rid/ of/ it? _

“What?” Jazz and Windblade asked incredulously. Their confusion and anger practically slammed Bumblebee’s EM field. It was times like this that Bumblebee missed his voice. He flipped open his text comm link on his arm and typed his words. He heard Ratchet wince as he furiously typed.

_ She became involved in the war because of me. She was thrown into danger because of me. Now, she is on the human’s radar. I don’t want her on the Decepticon’s radar just because I did something stupid! _ He sent to the others. They read the message, and he could feel the understanding, and pity grow in their EM fields. 

“Bumblebee,” Optimus’ voice was somber and heavy. “There is no way to undo it. In fact, I believe the recent symptoms you have been experiencing is because of the bond. Normally, two mechs need to constantly be within a few meters of each other after the bond is made so it can settle.”

“That’s why Prowl was on Spec Ops for a bit.” Jazz supplied. Bumblebee shook his head.

_ I can’t let anything happen to her. _ He played. Optimus and Jazz’s frowns deepened. The servo on his shoulder strut gripped him a bit tighter.

“Bumblebee,” Windblade stepped forward. “The fact that you have survived almost a whole year without completing the bond is a miracle. An unsettled sparkbond leaves your spark out of sync, which will damage your systems.” They were trying  to reason with him, but he would not bring her into this war just because of accidents. Like they said, he was fine, a little unbalanced, but alive.

“It might be damaging her too.” Bumblebee whipped his head to Ratchet so fast, his neck cables squeaked. Ratchet was going through the medical files that appeared on the med-bay computer. “Interfacing is just touching, so there can be side effects, but only certain viruses can be deadly. A spark bond on the other hand, it is a merging and sharing of sparks. Simply put, one half of a spark enters another and is replaced by the other’s half. It is a taxing and intimate process. If done incorrectly, you can end up with an overcharged mech, which can led to a burned out spark.” Bumblebee stilled. He knew Charlie wasn’t dead, in fact he knew she was alive, but what if? “Or worse, a mech that is crippled from being undercharged but still bonded to the other mech. The burnout of the overcharged mech can lead to the other mech slowly dying.” Bumblebee couldn’t take anymore, he jumped off the berth and transformed into his alt-mode and drove off. He had to go see Charlie.

 

“Ratchet?” Ratchet let out a hum of acknowledgement at Optimus after Jazz left after Bumblebee. “Was that all true?” Optimus asked, his optics narrowing.

“What would I know about spark bonds? I’m just a field medic.” Ratchet smirked as he turned back to Bumblebee’s scans. Windblade giggled as Optimus shook his head, but there was a smile on his face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm debating on whether to take this idea somewhere (like an actual story) our just keep it a cute three shot. What do you guys think?


	3. I Ran

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something always gets in the way.

Bumblebee knew he wasn’t the smartest mech, but his processor still functioned properly (contrary to popular belief) even on a lack of sleep. So a bit after he sped off, he realized that Ratchet tricked him. He drifted to a stop off road in the desert and transformed mid-drift. As the dust settled around him, he allowed his processor to slow. He knew Charlie, was okay. She was alive. He could feel that, he knew that, but Ratchet’s words replayed in his mind and it was like he had to go see her. Her safety was his top priority. Or maybe he needed her for his safety. Bumblebee went down to a squat and put his helm in his servos. He just needed to shut out the world and his problems for a while.

“B,” Jazz sent through the comms. Bumblebee let out a high pitched whirr. He looked up as Jazz rolled out of his alt-mode. “You can’t hide from this.” Bumblebee narrowed his optics in defiance. “When Prowl did that, avoided me because I was too close, it hurt me,” Bumblebee looked away from Jazz, guilt hitting him. “Because I knew it was hurting him more.” That caught Bumblebee’s attention. “As a Praxian, he was more sensitive to the bond than I was. When we first bonded, he showed similar symptoms to what has been happening to you.”

_ I’m fine.  _ Bumblebee played through his radio. Jazz gave him a quick disapproving glance and continued.

“He wasn’t recharging, he was sensitive to touch, and he dived into work.” Bumblebee looked down as he fiddled with his digits. Jazz noticed but continued. “All of this happened because he needed to stabilize his spark with the bond. I was completely fine, Prowl was not and it was killing him. We were in a war, and he said there was no time for him to be needy.” Bumblebee pushed aside the ebbing guilt he felt within his spark as he watched Jazz’s optics unfocused, a smile on his lip plating. “I wanted to punch him so hard that he would be forced into recharge. Instead, I drove him out of his office and locked him out. He didn’t talk to me until I proposed that he join spec ops for a bit.” Jazz let out a little chuckle, and the pang of guilt hit Bumblebee again. He knew he couldn’t save Prowl at Tyger Pax, but maybe if he was faster, or stronger, he wouldn’t have brought back a body.

“B,” Jazz’s stern call stopped Bumblebee spiraling into grief. “Let’s go see her now, before I’m forced to drag you there.” Bumblebee knew it was not a suggestion but an order. Jazz would drag him if he had to. 

“Jazz, Bumblebee come in.” Optimus’ vocal range was that of an urgent Prime. Both Jazz and Bumblebee stood at attention.

“We’re here boss.” Jazz replied. Bumblebee replied with a chirp.

“Agent Burns reported that three unknown objects have crash landed onto Earth.”  Bumblebee’s antennas stood upright and Jazz straightened. “I have sent you two one of the locations to observe.” Coordinates appeared on Bumblebee’s HUD. His navigational systems locked on them.

“On it!” Jazz confirmed through the comms and transformed into his alt-mode and raced off. Bumblebee followed close behind in his alt-mode. 

“This is only an observe and report mission. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary.” Optimus ordered. 

“Got it boss.” Jazz replied. They speed to the coordinates, and if they were racing there, no one knew they wiser. They were a few kliks away from the location, and far from the city of Jasper, Nevada. Which worked well because Bumblebee knew that if it was a Decepticon, a fight would come. The dessert was too open to just observe.Also, as it was now he was winning the impromptu race (he blamed Hot Rod and Blurr for his racing ability). So, he hoped it was an Autobot. 

Black smoke became visible and Bumblebee caught the glimmer of something dark green in the distance. Bumblebee stopped and transformed. He quickly ducked to the ground as his face mask came down. “What’s up Bee?” Jazz stopped but he stayed in alt mode. Bumblebee zoomed to where he saw the glint. A ragged hook came into view. His servos fisted as his gears tightened.

_ Lockdown. _ He sent through text. The bounty hunter was neither Decepticon nor Autobot. So his arrival on Earth was not a good sign. He sent the image he found to Jazz and Optimus. 

“We are on our way.” Optimus sent the coded message to their comms. So Bumblebee was surprised when Jazz started to roll forward in his alt mode. If they got any closer, Lockdown was sure to notice them.  

“Stay here and cover me.” Jazz ordered. 

_ Optimus’ orders?  _ Bumblebee sent. Jazz nodded.

“I ain't going to engage, but Lockdown is unpredictable. We need to know why he’s here. I have to get closer, but just in case, cover me.” Bumblebee nodded and prepared his blaster as Jazz left. He was not a sniper like Mirage or Prowl, but he was a decent shot. Bumblebee focused his view on Lockdown. From what he could tell. Lockdown was assessing the damage of the ship he came in. There was external damage that seemed to come from the inside. Bumblebee widened his scope, to see Jazz sneaking to the other side of the wreckage. Bumblebee watched as Jazz crept around the ship to stay out of Lockdown’s range. His mask caught movement near Jazz. A minicon was creeping up behind Jazz. It did not see Jazz, yet, but it would. Plans of action shot through Bumblebee’s processor. He could try to get Jazz’s attention, but it might give away both of their positions. He could try to contact Jazz through the comm links, but rule one of Spec Ops, keep radio communication at a minimum. The radio could be hacked. He could shoot the minicon, but again, that would give away their positions. So that left Bumblebee with the dumbest and most dangerous one. He shot at Lockdown.

The sound of the blast alerted Lockdown, but he wasn’t quick enough to dodge and it hit his right shoulder strut. Bumblebee estimated about a thirty nano cycle (second) head start to hightail it out of there. Bumblebee transformed and drove off.

“B-127!”  Jazz yelled through the comm. “Is your processor stuck in your aft?” Bumblebee wanted to respond, but a blast to his back wheel threw him off. He went in the air and transformed back to his main mode. He landed on his knees. Which was just in time to dodge another blast. “I’m on my way, youngin’.”

_ No. Get info. _ Bumblebee sent a quick message to Jazz through text and erased it, just in case. Unfortunately, this allowed Lockdown an opening. A missile hit him and he was blown backward. Warnings of sensory overload and systems damage to his left side popped up on his HUD. Bumblebee didn’t have time to care about those. He put his mask down and brought out his melee blade. Lockdown transformed out of his alt-mode and attempted to tackle him. Bumblebee rolled under the tackle. In the roll, he held his blade out to slice at Lockdown’s leg. There was a loud growl as they landed on opposite sides of each other. 

“That’s twice you caught me by surprise, pest. There won’t be another.” Lockdown sneered as a he pulled out an electric whip. Bumblebee tried to form his blaster, but his left side was still trying to fix itself. They were in the desert, so there was not a lot to use to his advantage. Lockdown would be victor of this battle, there was no doubt in Bumblebee’s mind about that. Bumblebee questioned his survival though. Lockdown cracked his electric whip at Bumblebee. Bumblebee rolled out of the way and tried to get closer. The whip cracked again, this time the current of the whip caught him slightly. Bumblebee writhed in pain and fell to the ground, an idea forming.

“B, I ran into some trouble. I need time.” Jazz sent through the comms. Bumblebee knew it was the minicons, so Jazz didn’t need a lot of time to deal with them. Still, every second counted. Bumblebee really hoped his plan worked.

“How pathetic.” Lockdown came to him. “This was barely even a,” as soon as Lockdown’s pedes came into range, Bumblebee reached and cut the cables in the back of his legs. Lockdown roared in pain as his hook came down. It hit Bumblebee’s damaged left shoulder, so Bumblebee took the opportunity and stabbed at Lockdown’s side. He lodged the blade deep within Lockdown’s gears. If he could stop Lockdown from transforming into alt-mode, then Jazz would have more time. Lockdown used his hook to drag Bumblebee off of him. He threw Bumblebee away from him, and Bumblebee couldn’t get his bearings to soften the impact of the ground. He hit the ground and his HUD cracked, stopping the error messages from popping up. This allowed Bumblebee to ignore the pain and transform to his alt mode. He raced off, away from the Lockdown’s ship, but the pain from his injuries and the weariness from before caught up to him. Lockdown was able to lock his whip around one of his back wheels. The current shoot through him and a high-pitched whine left him, but he forced his body to stay in alt mode. Bumblebee pushed through the agony and drove. Jazz needed time to get the information. Bumblebee had to fulfill this mission. He had to get Lockdown away from his ship.

Something snapped in Bumblebee’s processor, and the pain, the warnings left Bumblebee’s processor. All he could do was drive. His body put his energon reserves into accelerating. He kept driving, even when Lockdown fell to the ground and let go of the whip. Bumblebee registered that something went under his wheel, but he still kept driving. Suddenly, another car appeared before him. His audio receptors blocked any sound that would distract him from driving. The car in front of him stopped, but Bumblebee transformed enough to flip over the car and resume driving.

“Bee.” Bumblebee braked to a stop at the sound of Charlie’s voice. He transformed out of his alt-mode to look for her. But all that surrounded him was desert. Then the pain hit him and he fell into forced recharge, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So back by popular demand, this! I decided to go the story route. Sadly this will postpone the reunion for a chapter or two, but it will happen! So I hope you enjoy the roller coaster I'm taking us on. I will be up with the next chapter soon, hopefully.
> 
> Also I apologize if my Transformers' logo is off or doesn't make sense. Action is hard.
> 
> I don't own Transformers, Hasbro, or any references I make to the 1980's.


	4. Higher Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised next chapter! Also, I loved the irony of how the movie used this song when she finds Bee. So I kinda did the same thing. Yeah.... Enjoy and I apologize for any mistakes.
> 
> I don't own Hasbro or the Transformers. I just enjoy writing fanfiction.

“AH!” Charlie cried as her hand slipped and the screwdriver in her hand sliced her other hand. Quickly, she ran to the sink and washed her hands. The cold water soothed the burning in her bleeding hand. Still, the pain could not get rid of the worry that filled her. 

Charlie had been working late at Hank’s Auto/Junk Shop on a personal project when something came over her. She didn’t know how she knew, but she knew that something was wrong with Bee. This was not one of her episodes after a dream where she wanted to see him (granted she’s had a few of those recently). This was like a deep buzz that struck her and transported her somewhere. She was in the desert, but it was the scene at the air base. Bee was facing her, his optics that were an open blue, were now a deep red. Something had him fighting, and it scared her. Not of him, but for him. This was not who he wanted to be, she knew that like she knew her name.

“Bee!” She cried. He looked at her, but then in a blink he was gone. She was back in the shop, and the suddenness made her jump, cutting her hand. Now, here she was. Washing her bleeding hand and wrapping it with a towel she kept in the shop. “Now Memo is really going to push me to do something about this.” Charlie muttered as she wrapped the towel tightly. Memo was the only one who knew a fraction of the depth, her relationship with Bumblebee was, is. They tried dating a couple of months after the summer of Bee (as they all affectionately called it). Memo was a great guy, and an even better friend, but she knew her heart wasn’t in their relationship. Not while she had dreams of a world not her own, or when a song played to her by honey or goldbug made her day, or when she paused to examine every yellow car that passed. Memo deserved better than a girl hung up on an alien robot.

Honestly, it scared her how much she missed Bee. There was pain, but it would soften by the memory of the way he was adorably curious by everything. The snippets of dreams she remembered deepened the ache within, but going on a drive and imagining it was him helped. She could still to live, but she felt incomplete. Like she was living with a hand tied behind her back. She could live like that, but it felt, wrong. 

Charlie shook the thoughts from her head. She did, and would never regret letting him go. She didn’t, couldn’t fit in his world, right now. Maybe one day she could fit in his (she would never force him to fit hers, he was too extraordinary for that) but back then she couldn't. She had to help settle things back home, and he had friends to find. People needed them, and for once she believed in the hope that they would see each other again. She believed in him. So she had to live her life. Which for now, meant taking a break from her personal project. She went to the work’s phone and used it to call home. It rang a few times before someone picked up.

“You have reached the Watson residence. If you have called needing Mrs. or Mr. Watson please hang up and try again.” Otis’ answered dramatically.

“How long did you practice that?” Charlie snorted. 

“Hey, it was a pretty good.” Otis defended.”It was better than the time you covered up your nightmares.” Charlie mentally flinched at how she used her run in with the army to cover up the one time she woke up screaming from one of her dreams. The next day, Otis told her that he knew whatever she dreamed, it was not about what happened with the army. He knew she would face any army to see Bee. Something else terrified her, and the way he grabbed her hand as he reassured that he was okay, it warmed her heart more than she expected. Otis was oddly observant and the best little brother ever. Other times, like now, she wanted to kick him to the moon. 

“I was on the spot. I’m not training to be a stuntman.” Charlie snapped back.

“Your action movie summer with Bee was not an audition?” Charlie could feel Otis’ smirk, and she wanted to be mad at him but she found herself smiling instead.

“Should I tell mom that you want a Summer of Bee for your audition?” Charlie teased.

“Oh no! I was thinking more along the lines of Street Fighter, but real life.” Otis made an exaggerated yell and Charlie held the phone back. “K.O.” He said dramatically and Charlie rolled her eyes.

“Whatever, Karate Kid.” Charlie smiled as Otis chuckled. “I just called to remind you guys that I’m going on a road trip.” 

“Going to look for your car?” Otis’ voice was deeper, and Charlie couldn’t detect any traces of sarcasm. It surprised her how much he saw.

“I’m going to look at colleges and just drive.” Charlie reinforced. If she happened to be near supposed sightings of aliens, well that wasn’t anyone’s concern.

“Mom and Rob are on a date, so you don’t have to lie.” Charlie gaped but nothing came out. “And I promise I won’t tell this time, for real. Mom is so excited that you are trying to live a normal life, I’ll let you burst her bubble on that one.”

“Thanks.” Charlie frowned as guilt pooled in her stomach. Her mother and her were getting along so much better (ironically thanks to Bumblebee) but she saw the constant worry in  her mother’s eyes when anyone talked about the summer of Bee. Charlie understood it too. She almost died a few times. So she made sure not to bring up Bee. She tried to live a normal life for her family’s (mother’s) sake. Her mother was so happy when she found out that Charlie decided to go to college. She even encouraged the road trip. Charlie reasoned that if she was really looking at colleges, it wasn’t a lie and she wasn’t taking advantage of her mother. 

“I understand why you don’t tell her. She still lectures me for about an hour when I talk about being a stuntman.” Otis sighed.

“Can you blame her? She deals with the aftermath of everything.” Charlie reasoned to herself and Otis.

“I know!” Otis groaned. “But if I have to listen to the busted head story again. I’m jumping out of a window.” 

“Well look at that, you got a head start on your job.” Charlie smirked. “Well, I gotta close up shop. I’ll see you guys.”

“I’ll tell them, and, I hope you find what you’re looking for, Charlie.” Otis said sincerely. Then there was a click, singling that Otis hung up ended.

“I hope so too.” Charlie repeated as she hung up. She really did try to live a normal life and be there for here family. It worked for a while. It kept the incomplete feeling away and she was able to actually feel like a family. She even joined their TV nights. She hung out with Memo, and made some friends in Spike a fellow aspiring mechanic and his girlfriend Carly. Then the dreams happened. At first she didn’t realize she was having them. She would just jump awake, breathing heavily. The need to run, go, or hide coursing through her. Some days she woke up with a smile on her face. She never remembered the dreams, but she always wondered how Bee was afterward. It wasn’t a problem, until she had the dream. The one where she saw, no felt, Bee’s voice synthesizer being ripped out of his throat by a Decepticon. 

Charlie mindlessly traced the right side of her throat. The lingering terror that haunted her for days after she had the dream caused her to shiver. In the dream it was a quick burning sensation, but sometimes she wondered if he still felt it. If every time he tried to speak, it burned and he was back dangling in the air. He probably didn’t, but she still wondered. She still cared about him, and she wanted to do something (if she was honest, she wanted a reason to be by his side). She wasn’t able to fight beside him, but maybe, just maybe, she could truly give him his voice back. 

Charlie glanced at the project her personal project. Hank allowed everyone a personal project in the workshop so that everyone could have help. Granted, no one knew what she was building. They weren’t supposed to. If they did then she was heading in the wrong direction. In the dream, it was an alien object that played vocals but it was also organic. Like a mechanical version of a voice box. If a human recognized that, well it obviously wasn’t ready for Bee. She needed, otherworldly help to finish it. But she didn’t know where Bee or any of his people were. Hence the road trip. 

“It would be amazing if one of you guys just fell from the sky, Bee.” Charlie muttered. At the moment, she heard a high pitched whistle. It was her only warning before there was a loud crash outside in the marina. The ground shook, rattling everything in and around Charlie. She cowered underneath a metal desk nearby. As she hid, flashes of being rocked inside a dumpster by a stray missile and running as an uncontrollable battle raged above her filled her mind. Her heart pounded way after the shaking stopped and the lights went off. What caught her attention was the pulsating blue light. The same deep blue as Bumblebee’s eyes. As it pulsated, it filled the garage with its otherworldly glow. Slowly Charlie stood up and turned to the light. In the yard, surrounded by pieces of scrap metal, recently ruined cars, and fire was a giant robot. The light came from something on the shore of the marina.

Later, Charlie would look back and say approaching the giant robot and the glowing thing was a stupid and dangerous idea. Later, she would think about why she followed the odd urging in her head. Now she just did it. Careful of the debris, Charlie slowly climbed to the edge of the crater the robot created. Heat and smoke rose, clogging her lungs, but she continued till she had a good view of the robot. It was tall and its limbs seemed long. Something about the shape reminded Charlie of the red one she saw trying to kill Bee, but this one had the same symbol Bee had on his forehead except it was on its pink chest. That was also glaring obvious, the dark pink that covered the robot’s plating. She looked at its face, but there wasn’t any lights. 

More smoke rose and Charlie waved it away and leaned forward to get a better look at the robot. This lead to the debris under her to loosen and it went tumble down, and she accompanied it. She and the debris hit the bot with a loud CLANK! Charlie froze, waiting for the sound Bumblebee made when he woke up, but it never came. 

_ Soul,  _ Instead she heard a whisper come from beside her. She turned, but nothing was there, except a view of the glowing marina.  _ Soul.  _ The water swayed gently, undisturbed by the glowing foreign object within it. From what Charlie could see, it was some gem or stone as big as her palm.  _ Us.  _ The whisper filled her with peace, as if it knew her. Charlie took off her jacket, and dived in towards the stone. She grabbed it and a surge went through the her. She gasped in surprise, letting water into her mouth. Quickly she swam back up for air, stone in hand. She gasped for air as she bobbed in the water. She looked to the stone that reminded her somewhat of Bumblebee’s eyes.

“It would be nice if you could tell me if your crash buddy is on Bee’s side. And now you’re talking to a rock Charlie, awesome.” She muttered to herself. She swam back to shore and got out of the marina. The brisk night air pierced the salt water that filled wounds. “Jump into the salt water, great idea.” Charlie sneered to herself. She decided to examine what her mind believed was a good reason to jump in salt water. The still glowing neon blue stone sat in her hand, weighing it down slightly. Fortunately for her, the stone was as big as her hand, but it still pulsated and buzz. It didn’t surge like before, but she could feel the energy encased in it. “You better be worth the trouble.” Charlie held onto the stone as she climbed through the debris. Her dive made it harder to get any friction, so she tumbled to the robots side again. There was no reaction. Charlie used the robot to pick herself up. “I don’t suppose you could turn into a car and help me.”

Suddenly, starlight surrounded Charlie again. It was bright and so the dying red star in front of her stood out against the expanse. She knew that the star was dying. “No!” Charlie reached out and touched the red star. There was a great wind as the starlight that surrounded her rushed into the red star. For a moment, a cold darkness surrounded her. Then the red star sent a surge of energy life, and the last thing Charlie remembers was the sound Bumblebee made when he powered on.


	5. The End of Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Optimus POV for this one

“How is he, Ratchet?” Optimus Prime came up next to the Autobot medic. Bumblebee laid before them, less dented and cleaner than before, but his left side and arm carried scorch marks and his plating still appeared extremely dull. For a brief moment, he wondered if this would have happened if he was just a nano-klik faster. If he told Jazz and Bumblebee to wait, would Bumblebee still be laying on the berth? Optimus breathed the thoughts away, he had too much to do. Being dragged down by regret would only slow him down.  Ratchet’s sigh anchored Optimus. 

“Physically, I have fixed his torn plating and repaired the wiring on his left shoulder. Granted, when he wakes up, I will have to examine the functionality of it. The overloaded energy fried them badly. The dents in his chest plating were the easiest fixes. In fact, his armor had already begun to repair itself.” Ratchet relayed to Optimus, but Optimus still heard the tension in Ratchet’s vocals.

“But?” Optimus pushed lightly.

“I cannot find the programming,” Ratchet muttered as he rubbed the plating between his optic ridge plating. “Windblade is still on her mission, but before, even she could not find it. She told me she had sensed it, but it was for a moment, when,”

“When the girl was in danger.” Optimus finished, the sight of the young scout with burning red optics seared into his mind. Ratchet nodded.

“But then it was gone. Even now, I don’t see any traces. Yet, Jazz saw him with red eyes before his body went into forced stasis.” Ratchet threw his hands in the air. “And every bot that was infected with any version of the slave programming always has a trace of it, whether it be through their red eyes or some other lining in their code.” Optimus winced at the reminder of why this war was such a waste of lives. 

“But Bee’s just disappears. I don’t doubt Windblade or Jazz’s reports, but I have redone my scans multiple times and there is nothing. NOTHING.” Ratchet yelled. Bumblebee did not stir at the echoing roar. Optimus put a servo on Ratchet’s shoulder strut when the sound of Ratchet’s tightening digits reached his audial receptors.

“While I am confident in your abilities, even I know you can not do miracles with such,” Optimus paused looking for the right word.

“Primitive and useless so-called Earth technology.” Ratchet spat. Optimus gave a reluctant nod, but Ratchet was not paying attention. “I could find better scraps on Junkion!” Ratchet threw his servos in the air. Optimus tightened his grip on Ratchet’s shoulder strut. 

“Yet, we are on Earth. We have to make do with what we have.” Optimus insisted.

“But what if it’s not enough?” Ratchet asked softly. He turned and leveled Optimus with a knowing look. “You know how that program raises a bots aggression levels to alarming or dangerous levels. Megatronus is the only bot to survive with the original programming as long as he did.” Optimus tried to hold in the flinch but his servo still twitched. Ratchet still noticed it and deflated. “Sorry, that was out of line.” 

“You are right to worry,” Optimus admitted with a sigh. He was worried as well. As far as Optimus knew, none of the new generations was sparked with the slave programming. It was one of Megatron’s first acts. He destroyed most of the history of the program and the labs that produced the slave program. While Megatron did keep some of the soldiers, he never rebuilt it. Optimus himself refused to become Prime unless the program was destroyed and never used again. “To see such a young mech with traces of the program is worrisome.”

“Adding on to where you and Cliffjumper found him,” Ratchet shuddered. Optimus nodded. The memories of the raid of a laboratory outside of Voss still chilled his circuits. It was in hopes to find energon for the soldiers, but there were more dead bodies than excess energon. Then they found Bumblebee, or as he was identified, B-127. He did not even have color on his plating, that was how young he was. He was a sparkling, buried under the corpses of forgotten bots. “It is more than worrisome.”

“Optimus.” Arcee’s voice broke Optimus and Ratchet’s musings. “You better come to the port quick.” Optimus glanced at Ratchet. He nodded.

“I am on my way,” Optimus said before terminating the commlink. “I have faith in you old friend. You will find it in due time.” Ratchet rolled his eyes, but his armor loosened.

“Your false comfort does not help.” He muttered before turning back to his work. Optimus left the small med bay, to be met with Jazz.

“Is he alright?” He asked worriedly. Optimus jutted his head forward and began walking to the port. Jazz took the sign and followed beside him. 

“Physically, he is fine,” Optimus reported.

“The, the con program?” Jazz asked hesitantly. It slightly unnerved Optimus how serious Jazz was being now. There was no jokes or taunts, just this lining of fear in his EM field.

“His processor scans came back clean.” Optimus ignored the way Jazz stalled. The last time Jazz did that, he found out Prowl died. 

“Optimus, that’s, it ain’t possible.” Jazz shook his helm as he caught up to Optimus. “He had red eyes. You say when you came to back us up. That can’t be nothin’.”

“As of right now, we can only deal with what we have. None of the scans shows that he has the program. We can only deal with that.” Optimus glimpsed at Jazz as they went forward. Jazz caught it and nodded, but his gears were still wound. It was hard for all of them not to be. For a moment, peace was close, and now it was being shattered by the unknown.

_ THUD! _

“I betcha’ that’s Windblade attemptin’ to kill Flames.” Jazz smirked and Optimus let out a long-suffering sigh.

“A bet requires two different outcomes,” Optimus said as he entered the port. As expected, Wheeljack was holding back Windblade, who held a katana in her servos, but the blade was back and the handle was forward.

“You idiot!” She sneered. “You almost got yourself killed because Wheeljack had to save you with one of his grenades.” Optimus turned to see Hot Rod on the ground, a dent in his jaw and Arcee standing by his side cautiously.

“Then isn’t it Wheeljack’s fault, that Soundwave left, not mine.” Hot Rod muttered. Windblade let out a growl and her digits tightened.

“Our mission was to observe and report, not engage!” Optimus could feel Windblade restraining her anger in her EM field. He could also feel Jazz’s amusement that he was not trying to hide.

“I bet if B did the same thing, you wouldn’t be as mad.” Hot Rod spat back. Optimus could see the fight that was mere nano-kliks from happening. He did not have the time to deal with the repercussions from the humans if a scuffle destroyed their base.

“That is enough.” Optimus stepped forward, gaining everyone’s attention. “Wheeljack, please report what happened.” Wheeljack gave a wary glance to Windblade. With one look from Optimus, she nodded tersely and Wheeljack let go of her. She crossed her arms and stepped away from Hot Rod. Wheeljack refocused onto Optimus. 

“We went to look at the coordinates y'all sent. It was a small Decepticon Squad Ship, led by Soundwave.” Optimus felt a growing fear and worry in Jazz’s EMF. Optimus kept his level, despite his knowledge that things were definitely taking a turn for the worst. “There was a small opening for a sniper shot, but,” Wheeljack’s optics flickered to Hot Rod and Windblade for a second. “It would give away our position. We decided to take the shot and I had to use a couple of grenades to conjure up an escape route. The shot did allow us to see that there were only three squads of vehicons, Starscream, and Soundwave aboard the ship. Although, I am positive that my grenades wiped out a squad and a half.”

“Did you find out why they are here?” Optimus asked.

“We could have,” Windblade muttered loudly as she glared at Hot Shot. “If someone didn’t take the first shot available.”

“Or we could have-”

“Enough.” Optimus made sure his vocals echoed a bit, enforcing his command. “We are holding a debrief, not a debate.” Both Hot Rod and Windblade looked away in shame.

“I found something’.” Jazz stepped forward, gaining attention. “B gave me enough time to get some info off of Lockdown’s ship.” He began typing in his arm strut.

“Where’s B now?” Windblade asked, her shame and anger forgotten. Concern filled her EMF. Optimus knew that Windblade was close to the scout. On Cybertron, her status as a Cityspeaker isolated her from the other bots. B-127 was too curious to care what others said. They became close friends, brother, and sister in war. Optimus steeled himself.

“He is currently in forced recharge. He has suffered a few surface dents, torn plating, and some badly fried wiring,” Optimus felt Hot Rod’s spike in worry and regret. He would have to deal with that later. “But he will be fine.” Windblade opened her mouth, then closed it again and shook her head. Optimus knew she was holding back asking if the program appeared again. He would have to address that as well.

“And he’s lucky that that’s all he sustained from Lockdown,” Jazz grumbled, regaining the attention. “I’m still thinkin about given him a kick in the aft for takin’ the shot at Lockdown. Granted, I didn’t see the minicon, and it gave me time to collect this.” Jazz pressed something and a message popped up on Optimus’ HUD. He accepted the message. 

“Looks like Lockdown was pretty popular,” Wheeljack grunted. 

“It appears so.” Optimus looked over the data that was sent. It was a transmission log of the ship. The ship contacted or was contacted by three different signatures recently. One was encrypted, he would have to help Jazz with that later. The other two were recognizable, very recognizable.

“So the Decepticon signal is accounted for,” Windblade observed, but Optimus was struck silent as he stared at the number he memorized. The number he thought he would never see again.

“And what about the weird looking one?” Hot Rod’s question could not get through to Optimus.

“I’ll need Boss’-”

“Elita?” Arcee’s gasp anchored Optimus down, forcing him to move. Even if it was just a slight helm turn to Jazz for confirmation. He nodded, and Optimus’ spark thrummed.

“Accordin to his ship’s logs, it was her ship that dropped first.” He said solemnly. That made Optimus’ spark stutter a bit. He could still lose her.

“Then what are we waiting for?”Hot Rod yelled, forcing Optimus to be Optimus, not drift back into his Orion tendencies. “We need to go and get her!” He turned to leave, but Optimus was quick enough to grab his shoulder strut.

“The first site is near a populated area and we were ordered to stay away from there as to keep our presence unknown.” Hot Rod pushed Optimus hand off of his shoulder. 

“But she’s one of us!” Hot Rod insisted. “We can’t just leave her to the humans.”

“We must follow the human’s protocol.” Optimus did not budge, even if a part of him desperately wanted to give chase.

“Even if it means entrusting one of our own in the hands of the organics? They fired at B when he first arrived. What are they going to do her?”  Optimus narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, entering Hot Rod’s space. He cowered slightly but did not back away.

“Was it the organics that jeopardize a mission and endangered his fellow bots?” Hot Rod’s mouth shut and he stepped back, head hung low. Optimus straightened and put a servo on his shoulder strut gently. “I, understand your want to save our own. I do.” The air thickened with the reminder of who Elita was to him. Why this decision felt heavier than the decision to leave Cybertron. “But we are uninvited guests on this planet. We must tread lightly.” Hot Rod looked at Optimus Prime, his mouth opened but he let it closed and nodded. Optimus Prime turned to the others. “We will let the humans come back after they investigate the last coordinates, then we will go from there.” Everyone nodded, but he felt the reluctance of it. Optimus stood tall as the air grew heavier. The short peace they had on this planet was quickly coming to an end. He just hoped that this time he could save something instead of watching it fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this took so long, but this was a hard chapter to write. So I'm so sorry for the mistakes and if Optimus seems out-of-character. Thank you guys so much for your encouragement.


End file.
